Top Zoo And Aquarium Events In St. Louis

July 26, 2013 7:00 AM

The St. Louis Zoo and the World Aquarium offer exciting activities for a perfect summer. The St. Louis Zoo is hosting Friday night family concerts and hands-on sea life encounters you won’t want to miss. The World Aquarium features complete aquatic ecosystems from around the world and offers adventurous family tours.

Bring the kids to the free Friday concerts at the Zoo. The musicians perform in the lush, lakeside pavilion located at the Schnuck Family Plaza in the center of the Zoo. Kids can watch the ducks, flamingos and swans gliding through the lake to the boogie beat. Some of the Jungle Boogie bands that will be gracing the zoo’s stage are Johnny Henry Band (July 26), Miss Jubilee and The Humdingers (August 2), Hudson and The Hoo Doo Cats (August 9), Griffin and The Gargoyles (August 16), Funky Butt Brass Band (August 23) and Galaxy Red rounds out the summer festivities on August 30.

Caribbean Cove is located under a large pavilion near Lakeside Café at the center of the Zoo. You can watch, touch and feed the fabulous stingrays swimming in the 17,000-gallon pool surrounded by exotic landscape. Although stingrays are known for their stingers, they are actually docile creatures. Educate yourself and your kids before you go see these wonderful ocean creatures by checking out these stingray facts from the St. Louis Zoo.

The World Aquarium, located within City Museum in downtown St. Louis, offers families a unique experience. At the World Aquarium, there are exhibits from around the world: Shark!, featuring a glass bottom boat and underwater viewing tunnel, Stingray City, where families can interact with the stingrays, Hidden Forest, where there is a two-headed reptile, Sand Castle City with tortoise pits, and much more. The World Aquarium offers traditional and special tours and asks that families call and make reservations for the tours.

For the “Traditional Tour,” families can schedule a 90-minute guided educational tour of the World Aquarium. Tour guides provide a stimulating informational tour of the 10 aquatic ecosystems within the World Aquarium. The guides will answer questions and help visitors enjoy and understand the aquatic world.

This ocean adventure begins in the lobby with a visit from Louie, the blue dolphin, who escorts families into the World Aquarium. Sirena the mermaid will guide kids on a two-hour tour of the World Aquarium. Parents and kids will visit with sharks, doctor fish, turtles, stingrays, paddlefish, small mammals, snakes and more.

The World Aquarium Discovery Adventure Tour is a two- to three-hour hands-on experience. The Discovery Adventure Tour gives kids and parents a chance to get up close and personal with some aquatic marvels like stingrays, turtles, doctor fish and even sharks. Watch your fingers and toes on this one.

Pennee Struckman is an accounting professional in St Louis, MO. She currently writes for Examiner.com on topics related to parenting teenagers and living well on a budget in St. Louis. She is also a professional financial management writer with articles and white papers published by a well-known information firm. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.